Media service systems have awakened, through advancements in transmission and communications technology, to provide subscribers with a plethora of media content never before possible. Along with the advent of a distribution of a wide variety of media content, comes a wide range of choices for the subscriber. Many advanced media service systems provide a programming guide to allow the subscriber to acquire information about the subscriber's media content choices.
A typical media service system involves a central headend unit distributing a plurality of instances of media content over a transmission system, usually a cable or satellite network, to a multitude of client devices, such as a settop, as one example among others. Each client device contains the necessary hardware and software to interpret a transmission from the network and provide that transmission to be presented by a presentation device, such as a television, among other examples. The client device is also enabled to accept commands from the subscriber regarding the display of certain choices of media content. Certain choices by the subscriber require the client device to communicate with the central headend to request desired services.
One type of media content choice by a subscriber involves renting a movie presentation. Many media service systems will allow a subscriber to rent a movie presentation to be displayed at a time provided by the system. The subscriber will view information concerning a desired movie and then proceed to enter a buy sequence. The buy sequence usually begins when the subscriber indicates a desire to purchase a particular movie. Next, the client device will enter a process by which the purchase is validated and confirmed. In this process, the client device will usually require the subscriber to confirm the purchase and enter authentication information, such as a Personal Identification Number (PIN). The client device may thus require the subscriber to complete multiple confirmations to confirm that the movie presentation purchase is truly desired before the purchase will be executed.
Although there may be a wide variety of various types of media content available, the buy sequence for different types of media content most often remains the same. Not only does the media content vary greatly, but the characteristics and desires of the subscribers using the system varies by an even greater degree. Despite the wide range of variances in types of product, people, and purchases, the sequence required to buy media content remains unadaptable.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.